Funny you should say that. I was born in NYC and moved to Massachusetts when I was 13. I do think there are a few places on Boston where you can get a good bagel and there are places in NYC where the bagels are not so good.

I do admit that when it comes to food, I do revert back when I cross the border. But only on food. I will never again root for a NYC sports team.

But in the reverse, I refuse to call that Manhattan red clam soup a chowder. Being from New England, I know that chowder is white by definition.

MeasurementBlues, do you live in New York City? This is definitely a NYC thing. My uncle lived in Massachusetts and was fine, but the moment he crossed the border into NYC he became a New Yorker. The transformation was immediate and complete. It is as though he's lived there his whole life.

Now our California bagels aren't good enough for him. (In fact, I think he refuses to even call them bagels).

So what happens when you bite into the bagel? Is it sacrilege against the holy (wholly, hole-y?) bagel to destroy its circle with your teeth?

I don't think Martin was compaining about slicing the bagel in the horizontal plane, leaving the hole as a whole(??). I am sure he was maintaing that bagel purity is compromiised by slicing it vertically after slicing it horizontally.

@Antedeluvian is correct, by "slicing" I meant that you slice the bagel into, well slices. Each half must continat a cimplete hole. If you "cut a bagel in half" you end up with two half circles. That is a descration of the sacred bagel and, well, there ought to be a law.

just that adding bacon (perhaps with a few chives or green onions) on top of the cream cheese transforms a humble bagel into a culinary masterpiece ... I'm drooling just thinking about it (or maybe I'm just drooling)